ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wind · calf · snap · kick · racket · pass

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. snap — to click
  5. kick — in football
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. wind — moving air
  9. pass — a permit
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. wind — moving air
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. wind — to turn a key

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com